Automatic valve.



. v Patented Nov. 19, I901. G. ,L. FORTIER. AUTUMATIG VALVE.' A licationmd Feb. 14, 1898.) i (No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Shut I.

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N0. 687,!48. Patented No'v. I9, 1901.

. c. L..FORT|ER.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheats-$heet 2.

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Wig/I No. 687,!48. Patented Nov. 19, mm.

c. L. 'FORTIER.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1898.)

(No M odeI.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

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CHARLES L. FORTIER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE KNOWLES,OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AUTO MATIO VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,148, dated November19, 1901.

Application filed February 14, 1898. Serial No. 670,160. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern:

I Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. FORTIER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Valves, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates particularly to valves designed to control theadmission of water to dry-pipe fire-extinguishing systems. Its mainobject is to provide an automatic valve for this purpose simple anddurable in con struction and reliable in operation.

It consists of certain novel features in the construction andarrangement of the component parts of the valve and of its connections,as hereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same or similarparts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation and vertical medial section on theline 1 1, Fig. 2, of one form of valve and its connections embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view, on a reduced scale, of theexpansionchamber for operating the main valve; and Fig. 3 is a Viewsimilar to Fig. 1 of a modified form and arrangement of the valve auditsconnections.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A designates the valve-case, which is formedwith supply and service connections a a in line with each other, for theattachment of the supply and service pipes B and O, the water-supplypipe B leading into the lower side and the service or dry pipe 0 leadingout of the upper part of the valve-case. By this arrangement of thesupply and service connections they are brought into line with eachother. D is the main valve, which normally closes the service-port ofthe valve-chamber, and E is an expansion-chamber, formed in the presentinstance of a fixed plate or part c and a movable plate or part c, whichis connected with the plate e by a flexible diaphragm I and with thevalve D by a stem 6 The diaphragm F is supported at the limit of itsupward movement and prevented from being burst or overstrained by a themain valve D is opened. of pipe H, connecting with the passage 6 is ringf, placed over it around the plate e and attached at or near its outeredge to the plate 6. The opening in the ring f is but slightly largerthan the plate 6, and it is concaved on the under side or bent upwardlytoward its inner edge, so as to constitute in ef fect an extension ofthe plate e when the diaphragm is distended. The plate a is extendedoutside of the diaphragm F and ring f and is clamped between the twoparts of which the case A is composed. Between the outer. edge of thediaphragm and the ring and the valvecase said plate 6 is formed,as'shown both in Figs. 1 and 2, witha circular series of holes e whichallow the water to pass freely from the lower part into the upper partof the valvechamber. The supply pipe or connection is provided with agate-valve G for manually shutting off the supply of Water to thevalvecase A and with a waste-cock 9 above the gate-valve for drainingthe valve-casetand service-pipe before the main valve D is closed. Thefixed plate 6 of the expansion-chamber is formed with radialinlet-passages e and c to the outer ends of which are attached thebranches h h of a pipe H, leading out of the supply-pipe B below thegate-valve G. The pipe H is provided with a check-valve h closing towardthe supply-pipe B, a cut-off valve W, and a filter h. The filterprevents impurities contained in .the water from entering theexpansion-chamber and clogging or obstructing it or its connections. Thecut-0E valve it serves to shut oif the water from the expan- 8 5sion-chamber for inspecting or repairing the same, and the check-valveit prevents the opening of the main valve Din case the water supply orpressure in the pipe B fails or is interrupted. The passage e opensintothe expansion chamber opposite a valve 6 formed on the end of thevalve-stem e or attached to the movable part of the expansionchamber, soas to close the opening from said passage into the expansion-chamberwhen 5 The branch h provided with a cut-off valve if. The pipe H, withits branches h and h and the passages e and c forms a by-pass around theloo gate-valve G between the supply-pipe B and the expansion-chamber E.The plate e is.

also formed with a radial waste-passage 6 as shown in Fig. 1, and avent-passage 6 provided with a valve a outside of the valvecase, asshown in Fig. 2. The ventpassage e opens out of the upper part of theexpansion-chamber or of that portion of the expansion-chamber which isformed by the plate 6, as shown in Fig. 1. To the outer end of thepassage 6 which leads out of the lower part of the expansion-chamber, isattached a waste-pipe I, provided with and normally closed by a valve JThis valve is attached to or connected with the diaphragm or movablepart'k of an expansion-chamber or fluid pressure motor K. Thisexpansion-chamber is connected by a pipe 7t with apipe L, which connectsthe service or dry pipe 0 with a source of compressed air. The pipe L isprovided with a check-valve Z, which closes away from the service-pipeC, so as to prevent water from entering the pipe L when it is ad-"mitted to the pipe 0 by the opening of valve D. The pipe is is providedwith a three-way valve 70 which is adapted to shut 01f the supply ofcompressed air to the expansion-chamber K and to release the aircontained therein through a waste opening or connection for the purposeof testing the main valve without releasing the compressed air from theservice-pipe C. The upper section of the valve-case A is formed with ahand-hole and cover a*, which afford easy access to the valve-chamberfor manually resetting, inspecting, or repairing the main valve or itsconnections. This form of my improved valve operates as follows: Thevalve D being closed, the gate-valve G open, and the other parts of thedevice in the condition shown in Fig. 1, the main-valve chamber and thesupply-pipe 13 containing water under pressure and the service-pipe 0containing air under the usual pressure employed in dry-pipe systems, ifa sprinkler-head opens or the air contained in pipe 0 is otherwisereleased, reducing the pressure therein, the air contained in theexpansion-chamber K will also be released, allowing the valve J to open.When this occurs, the water confined under pressure in theexpansion-chamber E will escape therefrom through the passage e andwaste-pipe I faster than it can enter through the supply-passage c (thevalve 7L being closed) on account of the larger area of the wastepassage or connection. The pressure on the under side of the diaphragmbeing thus removed orreduced, the pressure on its upper side, which isof greater area than the valve D, will withdraw said valve from itsseat, opening the serviceport and admitting water to the service or drypipe G. As the water enters said pipe it will close the check-valve landhe thus prevented from flowing into the pipe L and thence through pipe7t into the expansion-chamber K, so as to prematurely close thewaste-valve J. When the water is nearly exhausted from expansion-chamberE and the main valve D is fully opened, the valve 6 carried by themovable part of the expansion-chambencloseS the opening from the supply2 into said chamber and stops the further flow of water through theby-pass. The supply of water to the expansion-chamber being thus cutoff, further waste is prevented. To close the main valve D, thegate-valve G is first closed and the waste-cock g is then opened,allowing the water contained in the dry pipe to drain therefrom. Afterthe dry pipe has been drained it is supplied with compressed air throughthe pipe L, the Waste-cock 9 having been closed, and when the requisitepressure is reached the waste-valve J will be closed. The valve k isthen opened and water passes from the supply-pipe B through the pipe H,branch h, and passage e into the expansionchamber E. The vent-valve ebeingopened allows any air confined in the expansionchamber to escapetherefrom through the vent-passage e. As soon as the air is completelyexpelled from the expansion-chamber and water flows from the waste-cockc said cock is closed. As the expansion-chamber is filled the diaphragmF is forced upward and closes the valve D. The gate-valve G is nowopened and the valve b is closed, the apparatus being then in conditionfor the automatic opening of the main valve Whenever the occasiontherefor occurs, as hereinbefore explained.

Referring to Fig. 3, which shows a modification of the device, theservice connection a opens out of one side of the valve-case A. Theexpansion-chamber E is arranged in the opposite side, its fixed plate orpart 6 forming a part of the valve-case, and the valve D and the movableplate or part 6 of said expansion-chamber are arranged vertically andare movable horizontally. The supportingringf of the diaphragm is inthis case formed integrally with the valve-case A, the plate e beingscrewed or bolted thereto over the diaphragm F. The branch h of theby-pass pipe H opens directly into the expansion-chamber E opposite thevalve e. The branch h also opens directly into said chamber, and thewaste-pipe I leads directly from the lower part thereof. The vent-valvee is applied directly to the upper part of said chamber.

In other respects the device as shown in Fig. 3 is substantially likethat shown in Fig. 1, both in construction and operation.

The pipe H may be connected above the check-valve h with the waste-pipeI below the valve J in either form of valve, as shown in Fig. 3, by apipe M, provided with a valve m for the purpose of manually releasingthe water from the expansion -chamber E and opening the valve D.

To test the apparatus without releasing air from or admitting water tothe dry pipe, the gate-valve G is closed and the three-way cock Z0 isturned so as to release the air from expansion-chamber K, whereupon thewastevalve J will be opened, allowing water to escape from theexpansion-chamber E and the IIO main valve D to be opened, ashereinbefore explained, or the main valve may be opened withoutdisturbing the condition of the dry pipe by closing the valve k in pipeH and opening the valve m in pipe M.

Various changes in details of construction and arrangement may be madewithout affecting the operation of the device and without departing fromthe principle of my invention-as, for example, in place of the plate 6or diaphragm-chamber and the diaphragm F, I may substitute as theirobvious equivalents a cylinder and piston, and with the valve shown inFig. 1 a pipe provided with a Valve like or similar to the pipe M andvalve m (shown in Fig. 3) may be employed to connect the by-pass pipe Habove the check-valve h with the waste-pipe I below the valve J.

I claim- 1. In an automatic valve the combination of a valve-case havingsupply and service connections, a main valve adapted to close saidservice connection and to open against the supply-pressure, anexpansible chamber having a movable part connected with said main valveand exposed normally on both sides to supply pressure, avalve-controlled by-pass leading from the supply connection.

independently of said movable part into said expansible chamber, and acut-01f valve formanually closing the supply connection between the mainvalve and. by-pass, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an automatic valve the combination with a valve-case having supplyand service connections, of a main valve adapted to close said serviceconnection, an expansible cham ber having a movable part connected withsaid valve, two by-pass connections leading from the supply connectioninto said expansible chamber, one of which is provided with a cut-offvalve, and a valve connected with said movable part and adapted to closethe other by-pass connection when the main valve is opened,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an automatic valve the'combin'ation with a valve-case havingsupply and service connections, of a main valve adapted to close theservice connection, an expansible chamber having a movable partconnected with said valve, a by-pass leading from said supply connectionand having two branches opening into said expansible chamber andprovided between the junction'of the branches and the supply connectionwith a check-valve, one of said branches being provided with a cut-offvalve, and a valve connected with said movable part and adapted to closethe other branch when the main valve is opened, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

t. In an automatic valve the combination with a valve-case having supplyand service connections and a cut-oif valve for closing said supplyconnection, of a main valve adapted to close the service connection, an

connected with said valve, two by-pass con-' nections one of which isprovided with a cutoff valveleading from the supply connection into saidchamber, a valve connected with said movable part and adapted to closethe other by-pass connection when the main valve is opened, a wasteconnection leading out of said chamber, a valve controlling said wasteconnection, and an expansible chamber communicating with the serviceconnection of the main valve and having a movable part connected withthe waste-valve, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In'an automatic valve, the combination with a valve-case havingsupply and service connections, of a main valve adapted to close theservice connection, an expansible chamber having a movable partconnected with said valve, a by-pass leading from said supply connectioninto said chamber, a cut-off valvefor manually closing said supplyconnectionibetween said by-pass and the main valve,a .wastepassageleading out of said chamber, a valve controlling said waste-passage, anexpansible chamber having a mov able part connected with thewaste-valve, and a connection between said latter chamber and theservice connection of the main valve, provided with a three-way valvefor manually closing communication with the service con: nection andreleasing the actuating medium from the expansion-chamber of the waste-.

valve, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 6. In anautomatic valve, the combination with a valve-case having supply andservice connections in line with each other, a valve adapted to closethe service connection and to open against the supply-pressure, anexpansible chamber inclosed within said case between the supply andservice connections and having a movable part connected with said valveand exposed normally on both sides tosupply pressure, a by-pass leadingber inclosed within said valve-case betweenits supply and serviceconnections and having a'movable part connected with said valve,twobypass connections leading from the supply connection of the mainvalve into said chamber, one of said connections being provided with acut-off valve, a valve connected with said movable part and adapted toclose the other by-pass connection when the main valve is opened, aWaste-passage leading out In Witness whereof I hereto affix my signaofsaid chamber, a valve controlling said pasture in presence of twowitnesses. sage, and an expansible chamber communicatingwith the serviceconnection of the main CHARLES FORTIER' 5 valve and having a movablepart connected Witnesses:

with the waste-valve, substantially as and CHAS. L. Goss, for thepurposes set forth. M. L. EMERY.

